Clothes-line and locking-pin therefor.



W. R. DERR & S.' SMITH.

cIoIHEs LINE AND LOCKING PIN THEREFOII.

APPLICATION FlLED AUG.2!I 1917.

Patented May 7,1918.

FFll@.

CLOTHES-LINE i AND LocKIivG-PIN TV1-Inneren.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, relie.

Apiiibatii 'filed August '21, 191:7. sensi no. 187,491.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, lWILLIAM R.

and. SAMEL SMITH, both citizens" of the United States, andr both residents of New York, county and State of New York, have jointly made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Linesv and Locking Clothes-Pins Therefor, of which the following is a specitlc'zation.Y

Our invention'relates to clothes-line apparatus, and has for its object to provide means'forl attaching garments or clothes to a clothes-lineand so securingy themthereto as to prevent their theft, or from being accidentally detached or blown away.

A serious cause of complaint from the occupantsof apartment houses is that garments` and clothes are continually maliciou'sly stolen from the clothes-lines which areprovided upon theroof for the use ofthe tenants. Indeed,v in some instances, this has become suiiiciently serious to cause the superintendent to provide wire cages upon the roofs of apartment houses including means for drying ther clothes in'said wire cages or inclosures. It istherefore among the objects of` our `invention to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensivel apparatus which will prevent the malicious stealing of the clothes, this object being obtained by the use of locking'clothes-p'ins'. The foregoing objects are accomplished in a simple and expeditious'manner, the apparatus being so designed that it may befconveniently used and operated., allowing the clothes or garments to be attached and locked upon the' clothes-line in a ready (manner, and also conveniently unlocked and detached from the line yby a'properlyv authorized person.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, our invention resides in the combina tion and arrangement of parts andin the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the' precise embodiment ofthe invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit thereof.

, The preferred embodiment of our invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective of an apparatus embodying the characteristic features of our invention, illustrating several garments securely locked in position upon a lothes-lne;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one ofthe locking clothes-pins, showing its method of support and the manner in ywhich it locks clothes or garments to the clothes-line;

Fig. 3 `is a view intop' plan view thereof;

Fig; 4' is a view in section taken onthe line lf-4 of Fig. 2the jaws of the `clothes-` pin being open prior to insertion of the clothes therein; Y y j,

Fig. 5 i's a similar view showing the jaws of the clothes-pin locked in closed position, rigidly holding the garment to the clothesline;

Fig. 6 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line (S4-6 ofl Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a fragmental view illustrating the manner in which the wcdging'members of the clothes-pin are withdrawn when' it is desired to remove the clothes from the line.

Referring specifically to the several (views, each clothes-pin is formed of the two jaws 10, having inwardly projecting side walls 11, which are hinged together by the pin 12'. A coil spring 1,3 extends around the pin 12 and resiliently'holds the lower clamping extremities of the jaws in closed'position, as

illustratedin F ig'. 5, The upper extremities of the sidewalls :of the jaws which project one within the other, as more clearl'yshowniy in F ig.' 6, are provided with the recesses 111 which define alined openings 15` in whichy is slidably mounted a wedge-shape locking member 16. The wedge-shape locking member, being located remote from the clamping extremities 17vof the clothes-pin, is adapted to force the clamping extremities together and rigidly lock them in such posi-` tion. The clothes-.pins are held in proper relationto the clothes-line and at the desired j distance apart,H (so that the clothes-pins will be simultaneously locked and unlocked by the wedge members) by the supporting member 19 which preferably is'formed of a wide hat band with rounded edges, so thaty the clothes will notbe torn should they be blown thereagainst. The supporting member 19 extends between the two posts 20 and is spaced a slight distance above the clothesline 21, which is also attached to the said posts. The wedge members 16 are preferably secured upon a continuous wire or support 22, the clothes-pins,clothes-line, and other parts, being formed of such substance as galvanized iron, so that the clothes are protected from rust stains. A lever 23, connected to one of the posts or supports 20, is attached,

- the lines.

to the connecting wire or member 22 of the wedge members, and is providedl with a lock 24 whereby all of the wedge members may be locked in their operative positions.

The apparatus as thus described contains many desirable features, among which attention is called to the ease with which the clothes-pins may be operated and the facility with which garments may be positioned over the clothes-line and clamped and locked thereto. 'The spring 13 which tends to force the jaws of the clothes-pin against the clothes-line, may be omitted if desired, but when included, facilitates the attachment of clothes to the clothes-line. The inwardly projecting side walls 11 of the jaws of the clothes-pins extend one beyond the other, sov

as to prevent an instrument being inserted between the jaws and prying them open. A wedge member, remote from the locking lever 23, is connected by a wire or flexible element 25 to the post or support 20, and is of sufficient length to allow the wedge members to be forced into their operative positions, hol-ding the jaws of the clothes-line closed. When the lever 23 is released, a slight pull upon the connecting member 25 will instantly retract all of the wedge members and allow any or all of the clothes-pins to be opened and the garments released from If it is so desired, the connecting member 25 may be formed of resilient material and so automatically effect the retraction of the wedge members when the lever 23 is released. As shown in the drawings, the connecting member 25 may be secured to a weighted lever 26, so that, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 7 when the locking lever 23 is released, the weight of the supplemental lever 26 will automatically effect the withdrawal of the wedge members and accordingly release the. jaws of the .v clothes-pins.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a clothes-line, a plurality of clothes-pins mounted in proximity thereto, and means whereby said clothes-pins are forced into contact with the clothes-line and the contents thereof and locked in such position.

2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a clothes-line, a plurality of clothes-pins each formed with hinged jaws mounted adjacent said line, wedge members engaging said clothes-pins and adapted to force the clamping extremities thereof together and hold them in such position, and means for locking said wedge members in operative position.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a clothes-line, a plurality of clothes-pins supported so that the clamping extremities thereof are adapted to engage said clothes-line, wedge members engaging said clothes-pins and adapted to force the clamping extremities thereof around said clothes-line and bind andhold garments and similar articles upon said line, and a lock operating in conjunction with said wedge members and preventing their retraction.

4f. An apparatus of the class described.

comprising a clothes-line, a plurality of clothes-pins supported adjacent said clothesline, with the clamping extremities Aof said between said holding members and adapted to move the same into and out of operative position, holding the jaws in closed position, or allowing them to open, respectively, and

' a lock associated with said connecting member, holding the same against movement.

Signed at New York, county and lState of New York, this 13th day of August, 1917.

WILLIAM R. DEER. SAMUEL SMITH. Witnesses:

ROBERT MORGAN, GEORGE A. CROWLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

vclothes-pins adapted to fasten clothes or 

